D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers is utilizing one of his contemporaries as a new template for his game, and it might not be who you think.
Russell informed reporters after the 108-97 NBA preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday that “my inspiration has been Derrick White.” He stated that the Boston Celtics guard “doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does” despite making “all the winning plays.”
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, Russell is playing with a different mindset on the floor, and the 2018-19 All-Star admitted that his defense made him a liability at times.
“Yeah, I mean, last year they found a way to get me off the floor by not playing defense, I guess,” that’s what he stated. “So [I] try to be a reason to get rid of that.” Not give them an excuse not to have me on the floor. Attempt to be as dangerous as possible on offense while avoiding becoming a liability on defense. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m trying to do it now, before the season, so I can keep those good habits.”
Russell played well in the regular season after being acquired in a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range.
However, as the playoffs approached, it appeared that the Lakers were better with the 6’4″ playmaker on the bench. According to NBA.com, when he was off the court, his net rating increased by five points during the Western Conference Finals run. Russell was finally benched for Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, and he played only 15 minutes.
It would be a stretch to say Russell’s worth plummeted following the 2023 playoffs, but it was arguably the lowest it had ever been. That was demonstrated by the two-year, $36 million contract he signed with Los Angeles.
The contract allows the 27-year-old to become a free agent again in 2024, and improving his defense would help him position himself for a far larger salary.
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